Best Kids' Parties: Woodland

For Casey's small family party, we decided to employ our woodsy backyard and warm-enough January weather to enjoy a simple-but-enchanting woodland celebration.

We used natural elements from our backyard including pine cones and tree bark to set the table, accompanied by baskets, mason jar glasses and a drop cloth table covering. A chocolate ganache cake nestled in a bed of moss, as did the birch tree straws. I made the acorn and flag bunting strung between the trees out of colored card stock and twine.

My talented husband crafted and set up an A-Frame tent (using a tutorial from A Beautiful Mess) with twinkle lights over my favorite quilt, which was a dreamy place to play after cake and ice cream sundaes. The children spent hours imagining themselves as forest creatures thanks to the handmade felt woodland animal masks, and the birthday boy wore a felt bird feather crown. Other activities included trying their hand at the new wooden balance beam (also made by my husband), swinging on tree swings, coloring woodland scenes with colored twig pencils, and finding new places to explore in the outdoors.